16:20 Curragh

Sunday 2 July 2017

All13:4514:1514:4515:1515:4516:2016:5017:25

Pretty Polly Stakes (Group 1)

Off time: 16:20 | Winning time: 2m 6.19s

(7)

Creggs Pipes³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: Declan McDonogh| T: A Slattery| OR: 109| C

25/1

Won a weak Group 2 over shorter here last time but has generally come up short in Group company and has plenty to find with the leading contenders over an not ideal trip.

Form: 275-531

(6)

Journey^h³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: K J Manning| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 119| D

15/8

Group 1-winning mare who found herself pitched in a little too deep in the Coronation Cup last time but has proven very tough to beat up against her own sex, and should be again today. 15L ahead of Zhukova at Ascot last October, although that was over further.

Form: 2/3111-5

(4)

Laganore²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: Colin Keane| T: A J Martin| OR: 108| BF| D

20/1

Consistent type who should run her race but has plenty to prove in order to be considered for win purposes. Trip is fine, may prefer the ground to be slightly faster than what's forecast.

Form: 213-322

(5)

Nezwaah³⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: R Varian| OR: 108| D

13/2

Dual-Listed winning filly who still has potential to improve but has come up short at this level on more than one occasion so far and is unraced on ground softer than good.

Form: 31527-1

(10)

Santa Monica¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Billy Lee| T: C O'Brien| OR: 99

66/1

Won a Group 3 at a fair price last time out, but that was her first victory since taking a Dundalk maiden last May and she looks to be short of required quality for a Group 1 of this standard.

Form: 235-941

(3)

Smart Call¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: Jim Crowley| T: Sir Michael Stoute| OR: 111| D

13/2

High class mare in South Africa who hasn't quite managed to fulfill her apparent potential since moving to Britain, but has run well in defeat on both starts so far with the promise of more to come over this trip.

Form: 11/11-34

(8)

Turret Rocks¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Ronan Whelan| T: J S Bolger| OR: 109| BF| CD

25/1

Narrowly beat Laganore over C&D in May to take a Group 3 contest but hasn't been able to replicate that form the last twice, including when well beaten by Creggs Pipes last time out.

Form: 45-6136

(2)

Zhukova⁵⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: P J Smullen| T: D K Weld| OR: 115| CD

7/2

Multiple Group race winner over the past two seasons whose sole defeat since the beginning of 2016 came in when beaten by Journey at Ascot. Scale of that defeat a minor concern, although she did have some excuses.

Form: 1117-11

(1)

Intricately³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: D O'Brien| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 108| C

14/1

Last year's Moyglare Stakes winner and hasn't had the easiest assignments so far this season, including in both the British and Irish Guineas when beaten by Winter on both occasions. Possibility remains that she hasn't trained on.

Form: 310-404

(9)

Pocketfullofdreams^h⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Seamie Heffernan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 97| BF

33/1

Finally off the mark at Naas on Wednesday but has massive amounts to find and doesn't seem to have much scope for further improvement.

Form: 222741

(11)

Rain Goddess^t1¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: R L Moore| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 108

6/1

Maiden winner last September but disappointing so far this term. Shouldn't have a problem with this step up in trip but neither is it likely to bring about the requisite improvement for her to be a genuine challenger. Tongue strap added.

Form: 1-7452

Forecasts

Journey (15/8), Zhukova (7/2), Rain Goddess (6/1), Nezwaah (13/2), Smart Call (13/2), Intricately (14/1), Laganore (20/1), Turret Rocks (25/1), Creggs Pipes (25/1), Pocketfullofdreams (33/1), Santa Monica (66/1)

This should be between Zhukova and JOURNEY, two of the most talented mares of their generation. The former has repeatedly shown that she has massive amounts of ability, including when she won an American Grade 1 in impressive style last time out. However, narrow preference is for John Gosden's mare, who beat her rival by 15 lengths in the Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot in October (though she did have some excuses), and can take advantage of a step down in class, having not been totally disgraced in the Coronation Cup last time. Smart Call was a champion herself in her native South Africa and should be capable of better following two solid performances in Britain.